Yu Tuan’er asked again, “He… was he very handsome before?”

A’Shui smiled. “Yes, he was very handsome before—probably more handsome than anyone could imagine, but not like a woman.”

Yu Tuan’er sighed regretfully. “Too bad I’ll never get to see that. Sister A’Shui, do you like him?”

A’Shui shook her head. “No.”

Yu Tuan’er asked curiously while following Fang Pingzhai forward, “Why not?”

Why… A’Shui’s thoughts became slightly hazy. What… is called liking? How does one properly treat a person? She was becoming increasingly unclear. Like Liu Yan’s way, like Tang Lici’s way… that was also called liking… But rather than liking, she believed more in what Tang Lici had said: “Men are actually no different… To you, Hao Wenhou was rape, Liu Yan was abuse, and I… was merely prostitution.”

Those words were spoken too well—so well they shattered all her confidence, so well they left her not knowing what “liking” looked like… A’Shui looked into Yu Tuan’er’s clear eyes. “Because I like someone else.” Sometimes she didn’t know if what she said was true or false, only understanding that she couldn’t hurt the innocent girl before her.

Yu Tuan’er giggled. “Sister, who do you like? Is he handsome?”

A’Shui walked slowly, matching her pace. “Not as handsome as Liu Yan and Young Master Tang.”

Yu Tuan’er jumped onto a large rock and then down again, her steps light and quick. “How did you come to like him?”

A’Shui was stunned. Fang Pingzhai laughed heartily—this little girl said whatever came to mind. It wasn’t just him who couldn’t handle it; A’Shui was also beginning to not know how to answer. After thinking for a long while, A’Shui smiled slightly. “I’m Fengfeng’s mother. I no longer have the means to like anyone else. I can only like Fengfeng.” She saw Yu Tuan’er frown and paused slightly. “Besides… I don’t know how to like others either.”

“Sister A’Shui, I also don’t know how I should like him,” Yu Tuan’er said. She had been happy, but suddenly became dejected. “I want to be very, very good to him, but whenever I’m good to him, he gets angry. When he gets angry and won’t listen to me, I want to hit him.” She hung her head. “Am I very fierce?”

A’Shui smiled. “No. I think even if you hit him, he wouldn’t be angry in his heart, because you don’t deceive him.”

Yu Tuan’er continued, “But I want to know what he’s thinking! Why doesn’t he like me? Why does he like you? He won’t tell me, so I often get very angry.”

A’Shui pulled her close with one arm—she was very fond of this straightforward little girl. “Don’t worry. Whatever your heart wants to do for him, just do it.” She said gently, “Don’t beat around the bush. Tell him everything. He’ll know you’re a thousand times better than me.”

Yu Tuan’er’s smile was brilliantly pure. “Sister, you’re so good.”

“Why does what women discuss sound like hieroglyphics to men?” Fang Pingzhai scouted ahead. “Men aren’t objects that can be passed around. It’s not that whichever woman has good character will be favored by all men under heaven. You two whispering together—listening to you makes me truly fear for Master. Terrifying, so terrifying.”

Yu Tuan’er glared. “Shut up!”

Fang Pingzhai shook his head. “I’m truly pitiful. Sigh, pitiful indeed.”

The three walked past the long muddy road and finally reached the hills around He County.

What met their eyes was He County filled with black tents. The original houses and shops had all been demolished and razed to the ground. Smoke from fires had not yet completely dispersed. Above the ruins, hundreds of tents were erected in neat rows. Looking from afar, the black-clothed people moving outside the tents numbered no fewer than five hundred.

The three looked at each other. Yu Tuan’er asked in a low voice, “Did you take the wrong road?”

Fang Pingzhai habitually pulled out the red fan from behind his neck and waved it twice. “I’m also wondering if I took the wrong road and encountered ghosts… but—” His pupils contracted. “What’s embroidered on those tents?”

“Peony flowers, I think…” Yu Tuan’er had excellent eyesight. After staring at the distance for a while, she said, “Very ugly peony flowers.”

A’Shui couldn’t see clearly, her elegant eyebrows furrowing slightly. “What is that?”

Fang Pingzhai sighed. “It seems to be death warriors recruited under Big Brother, called Demon Soul Death Warriors. Looking at this formation, Big Brother seems to want to skin Master alive, tear him apart, and dismember his corpse.”

A’Shui shook her head. “If he wanted Liu Yan dead, he could have killed him long ago. He used Liu Yan’s name to gather the victims of the Crimson Ghost Nine Hearts Pills here, then deployed heavy troops—I think he must have other plans.”

“Does your big brother want to capture everyone who comes?” Yu Tuan’er wasn’t stupid. “But many people might come. How could he possibly capture them all?”

Fang Pingzhai moved his red fan. “He wants to confirm how many sects were harmed, wants to capture key figures from each sect, and more importantly, wants to use the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Hearts Pills to control everyone. Of course, the key to all this is that Master himself must appear. Otherwise, it would be difficult to achieve the controlling effect.”

A’Shui said in a low voice, “But if he was captured by someone and can’t escape, it would be impossible for him to come here.”

Fang Pingzhai shook his head. “Not so. If someone captured him, this place is perfect for establishing martial world prestige and manipulating the situation. It’s impossible he wouldn’t come.”

But to reach Jiaoyu Town, they had to pass through this tent area. Yu Tuan’er’s martial arts weren’t high, A’Shui knew no martial arts, and they were carrying a baby. How could Fang Pingzhai alone get them through?

“Is this the only road to Jiaoyu Town?” A’Shui held Fengfeng. “I think Fengfeng and I should take a detour to avoid hindering your movements.”

Fang Pingzhai hummed. “Let me, who is as wise as the deep sea and clever for a hundred generations, think of a solution. Mm, I have a way.”

Yu Tuan’er asked, “What way?”

Fang Pingzhai coughed. “Force our way through.”

“What kind of solution is that?” Yu Tuan’er widened her eyes. “If we force through, everyone will know we came looking for him!”

Fang Pingzhai laughed heartily. “He County is very close to Jiaoyu Town. As long as we break through this tent formation and climb over that very low hill, we’ll reach Beautiful Lady Residence in Jiaoyu Town. The distance isn’t too far. If we cause chaos here with people thrown into confusion, those gathered at Beautiful Lady Residence will know there’s an ambush here. And when Big Brother’s hidden troops are exposed, he won’t dare be too blatant. If news of our causing trouble here spreads, dear Master will find us more easily. As long as he gets the news, he’ll have to come whether he wants to or not—we just have to gamble on whether we find him first, or my scheming and plotting big brother finds him first.” He waved his red fan. “Gamble—or not gamble?”

“But your big brother should have already prepared methods to deal with you. Forcing through would probably be extremely dangerous,” A’Shui pondered for a while. “How about this: I’ll take the girl and detour around the other side. You charge into the tents for a while, then quickly withdraw to meet us at Beautiful Lady Residence. With you charging the formation here, our journey should be safer, and you won’t need to truly force through.”

Fang Pingzhai hummed. “That’s a good plan, but do you know how to detour?” Without three burdens by his side, even against Gui Mudan’s Demon Soul Death Warriors, he could come and go freely.

A’Shui smiled slightly. “Don’t worry. I’m used to being alone. Finding a path won’t be difficult.”

Fang Pingzhai waved his red fan. “Sometimes I feel that besides having proper features, you woman have no other advantages, and I don’t understand why Master is obsessed with you. But suddenly I discover that entrusting tasks to you is much more reassuring than letting my little martial aunt handle them. There are actually reliable women in this world—how strange.” A’Shui laughed, reaching up to tuck loose hair behind her ear. “After we see the situation ahead clearly, we’ll split up.”

“Very good.” Fang Pingzhai leaped onto a nearby large tree to observe the tent area in He County. A’Shui gazed intently into the distance, looked at the mountain terrain, and grasped Yu Tuan’er’s hand.

Yu Tuan’er pointed to the forest. “We can also pass through here.”

A’Shui squeezed her hand. “We’ll follow the mountain path. Don’t alert the enemy.”

Yu Tuan’er, being led by her hand, lowered her head. “What if he doesn’t come?”

A’Shui gently pinched her soft palm. “If he doesn’t come, I’ll stay with you until we find him. Alright?”

Yu Tuan’er’s eyes reddened slightly, but she smiled. “It’s a promise!”

A’Shui smiled. “Yes, it’s a promise.”

A gentle breeze passed overhead. Fang Pingzhai’s figure had already disappeared. A’Shui, holding Yu Tuan’er’s hand with one hand and Fengfeng with the other, slowly walked toward the other side of the hill.